The most important addition to my truck. Officially ready to start paying taxes to the Crown! Bahaha

 

 

At long last Im pleased to announce that the engine swap upgrade is finally complete. On February 8th I was reunited with a old friend and I now present some awesome pictures.

 

looks good, glad your happy.

now you have to do your part and break it in correctly.

which means dont go flogging the **** out of a new engine at winter romp

PS front bumper looks great with the lights

 

Certainly will do as for Winter Romp I wont be going unfortunately. Hopefully I can attend some other LR event later this year before I embark on my road trip. We shall see.

 

When are you heading out ? Are you going to be "cutting the corner" and driving up through Canada to AK or do you think you might stop off in Seattle ?

 

What is it?

 

It's a "tax disc" holder. In the UK, cars have lifetime license plates. Before computers, you'd show your "registration" was current by displaying the tax disc in the bottom front of the windshield. It was a horribly arcane process that has been discontinued.

 

That is correct. Some folks in the UK have swapped out the small round registration sticker for a small poppy flower that fits perfectly inside the tax disk holder. Great use and great way to show support for the UK Armed Forces. I ordered a plastic poppy from the UK but its to large so gotta find a smaller one that will fit.

As for my cross country plans, I'm not sure honestly. New variables have presented themself in my life and I have some BIG decisions/sacrifices to consider over span of the next few months. On another note my truck was completed 3 weeks behind schedule and messed up **** upon my return to NH so Im still trying to sort **** out and get back on my feet. Also currently unemployed and looking for a temp full time job to get me by until June as I will most likely be returning to AK for another fishing season on land.

Still further the economy in Alaska is seriously in question right now. In part the low gas prices are killing the oil industry in AK and now the state has to consider major cuts to many sectors and even the possibility of incorporating an income tax. So while cheap gas prices is good for everyone in the short term.... long term its bad news on a macro level. Oil companies in AK have laid off a bunch of employees. National Guard has also decreased their members. Should **** hit the fan.... say another recession than living in AK might not be the best financial option. The fisheries up there bring in the majority of the money and business and Im uncertain how the fisheries might be effected in a recession of the sorts. Without the fishing it would be most difficult to find a job up there to sustain livelihood, worse during a recession. A major investment in a one way road trip to AK right now at this time may not be in my best interest so I have to think siht over and consider my options. Also met a women in New England and have to decide where my heart is and what is more important to me long term. Money or a future wife? Most of the longstanding fisherman up there that I know are single, divorced and big consumers of alcohol and drugs unfortunately. Not interested in following that trend.

If i decide against this road trip to AK than I will definitely make up for it with some other awesome overland adventure. If anything it would give me more time to prepare for a longer more exciting road trip. My interest in the overland lifestyle endures even if I decide AK is not the best place to move to and I hope to embark on many road trips with my D2. If I dont do the overland trek to AK this year than rest assured I will tackle the adventure one day but all the way to the Arctic Circle and back again.

 

Good luck! Time to learn a trade. Those jobs are where its at.
My employer is putting together an eligibility list for any new hires for the next two years. $48k starting with employER paid health/dental. Just need a high school diploma and Class B CDL.
Fishing seems exciting but pretty unstable.